The Background and Summary are provided to introduce a foundation and selection of concepts that are further described below in the Detailed Description. The Background and Summary are not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor are they intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.
The following U.S. Patents and Patent Applications are incorporated herein by reference:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,207 discloses an exercise treadmill configured to improve tracking, the treadmill being provided with a frame including molded plastic pulleys, having an integral gear belt sprocket, an endless belt extending around the pulleys, and a motor operatively connected to the rear pulley to drive the belt. The pulleys are molded out of plastic and have a diameter of approximately nine inches. A mold and method for producing large diameter treadmill pulleys having an integrally molded sprocket are also disclosed. A deck underneath the running surface of the belt is supported by resilient members. A positive lateral belt tracking mechanism is used to correct the lateral position of the belt. A belt position sensor mechanism is used in combination with a front pulley pivoting mechanism to maintain the belt in the desired lateral position on the pulleys. The exercise treadmill also includes a lift mechanism with an internally threaded sleeve engaged to vertically aligned nonrotating screws. A user display of foot impact force on the belt is also provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,783,482 discloses a microprocessor based exercise treadmill control system that includes various features to enhance user operation. These features include programs operative to: permit a set of user controls to cause the treadmill to initially operate at predetermined speeds; permit the user to design custom workouts; permit the user to switch between workout programs while the treadmill is in operation; and perform an automatic cooldown program where the duration of the cooldown is a function of the duration of the workout or the user's heart rate. The features also include a stop program responsive to a detector for automatically stopping the treadmill when a user is no longer on the treadmill and a frame tag module attached to the treadmill frame having a non-volatile memory for storing treadmill configuration, and operational and maintenance data. Another included feature is the ability to display the amount of time a user spends in a heart rate zone.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,914,420 discloses sensing applications for exercise machines. An example sensing application for profiling a workout session of an exercise machine comprises selecting at least one workout parameter or inputting at least one physical characteristic of a user and operating the exercise machine in compliance with the at least one workout parameter selected. The method further comprising reading output signal values from a sensor in which the output signals are generated by a user impact to the exercise machine during the exercise session and processing the output signals. The method further comprising determining workout matrices to profile the exercise session using the processed output signals and providing feedback information based on the workout matrices.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,157,708 discloses sensing applications for exercise machines. An example sensing application for profiling a workout session of an exercise machine comprises a user interface to input physical characteristics or workout parameters. A sensor is operatively coupled to the exercise machine to generate an output signal in proportion to a magnitude of a force imparted on the exercise machine in response to an impact to the exercise machine. A control system processes the output signal to determine a magnitude of a peak or trough value of the output signal, where the control system is to process the peak or trough value of the output signal to profile the exercise session.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,403,814 discloses methods for profiling exercise sessions. An example method for profiling an exercise session includes receiving physical characteristics or workout parameters via an input interface, generating output signals proportional to a magnitude of vertical forces imparted to the exercise machine by a user during the exercise session, and processing the output signals via a control system to determine the magnitude of peak or trough values of the output signals to profile the exercise session.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,574,131 discloses methods for profiling exercise sessions. An example method of determining cadence of a user disclosed herein includes receiving output signals from a sensor generated in response to consecutive footfalls of the user impacting a deck of a treadmill during an exercise session and processing the output signals from the sensor to determine respective magnitude values of a peak or a trough value of each of the output signals. The method includes detecting whether a first output signal has a first peak or trough value and detecting whether a second output signal has a second peak or trough value, determining a time interval between the first peak or trough value detected and the second peak or trough value detected, and calculating a cadence value of the user based on the time intervals.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0160667 discloses a microprocessor based exercise treadmill control system that includes various features to enhance user operation. These features include programs operative to: permit a set of user controls to cause the treadmill to initially operate at predetermined speeds; permit the user to design custom workouts; permit the user to switch between workout programs while the treadmill is in operation; and perform an automatic cooldown program where the duration of the cooldown is a function of the duration of the workout or the user's heart rate. The features also include a stop program responsive to a detector for automatically stopping the treadmill when a user is no longer on the treadmill and a frame tag module attached to the treadmill frame having a non-volatile memory for storing treadmill configuration, and operational and maintenance data. Another included feature is the ability to display the amount of time a user spends in a heart rate zone.